Car dumper



May 25, l931- E. H. KIDDER ET AL 1,807,294

CAR BUMPER Filed Aug. l, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l Wm/fwww@ffyzzffzfmf) Il f' I Imaan 0715 @Mv aux.

May 26, 1931. E. H. KIDDER ET A1.

' GAR BUMPER Filed Aug; 1. 1927 5 sheets-sheetv 2 May 26, 19311. E.: H. KlDD'r-:R ET'AL v`1,807,294

AR BUMPER Filed Aug. 1, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 aan May 26, 1931 E. H. KIDDER ET Al. 1,807,294

CAR DUMPER Filed Aug. 1, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 26, 193.1l

nnWIN nipona AND WILLnRn n nnrexson; or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, Assrsnons To LINKFBnLr ooivirnn'rf, or CHICAGO, rifinrnors, Aoonroa'arron 0F ILLINoIs CAR BUMPER Application filed August 1, 19,217. Serial No. 209,564.

Our invention relates to improvements in gondolaV car dumpers and has tor one object to provide a new and improved apparatus Whereby the car may be positively held on the 5 cradle during dumping. Another object is to provide a new and improved apparatus whereby the ear holding clamps may be raised toward and from the car. Another object is to provide a ne7 and improved appa- 16 ratns whereby the operation of the clamps both for holding and raising and lowering may be at all times automatic. Other. objects will appear from time to time throughout the specication and claims. 5 Our inventionis illustrated more or les diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings7 Wherein- Figure 1 isan end view with parts section; f

Figure 2 is a side elevation with parts in section; j

Figure 3 is a. section along the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Fignre 4 is a detail Section Of the tension release switch;

Figure 5 is a detail of the equalizing mechanism l Figure 6 is a partial elevation of the side opposite that shown in Figures 2 and 5, Y

Like parts are indicated by like Vcharacters throughoutfthe specilication and drawings.

It Will be understood that in general our car dumper comprises a. rotatable cradle and a transfer table -Ycarried thereby Vonto which the car can run which when the cradle commences rotation moves or carries the railroad car laterally to one side of the cradle so as to give a lateral support for the carin the dumping position. Mounted on this cradle are a 4 plurality of car holding clamps movable toward and from the top of the car adjustable in position to compensate for different heights ot car with separate means for raising and lowering the'clamps Withrespect to the car and for holding the clamps 4on the Car and for holding the car in place on theY cradle during the dumping position.

A A are roller rings at the opposed ends of grooved rollers A2 the cradle. They lhave peripheral tracks A1l A1 adapted to ride in and be supported on These rollers are mounted in pairs on the rocker arms Which arms are pivoted on brackets A4, the brackets being carried by foundation beams A6 resting on the foundation Walls AT. Ei;- tending laterally between roller rings are a plurality of supporting beams AS. Extending upwardly from these supporting beains are vertical members A9 associated with other transverse beams A15 A A12 to make a cradle structure joining the Vtvvololler rings. The cradle thusiS.l formed of the two end plates or roller rings with the girder structure joining them, there being a Vcentral aperture into which the car may pass. i

Along one side of the cradle is a car side engaging mat B made up of a plurality ot horizontally disposed elements,B1 B1. At the bottom of the cradle 4is atransfer table B2 having tracks B3 on Which the Car .Can travel. B4 isfan elevated rail adjacent one ofthe tracks B3 so as to prevent lateral movement of the Car Wheels aigle Which might otherwise slip off the railwhen the car is in the dumping position. This transfer table extends throughout the entire length of the cradle and projects laterally therebeyond sufficiently for the rails B3 to abut on fixed tracks B5 on which the car may approach or transverse tracks on the cradle upon which travel rollers B7 to carry the transfer table and remit lateral movement- Unilef Som@ conditions extending dovvni'vardly fromthe opposed ends of rthe transfer are brackets Bsfhaving roll-ers adnpted to enses@ Stops 13.10, en@ sich @ad .et the foundation'so that as the lcradle returns to its starting position the roller B, engaging the t 3 it Will be noted that the transfer' table has been moved over toward the opposed side of the table, and th spring is expanded, the purpose of this spring being of course to insure movement of the transfer table laterally across the table at the beginning of the cradle rotation so that the car side is brought against the cushion or pad B before the clamps take hold.

B are rollers mounted in the foundation adapted to engage the opposed ends of the transf-er table to limit its lateral movement and maintain it in proper spaced relation longitudinally with respect to the approach tracks.

C C are cables wound about the roller frames and dead ended thereon by means of tie-rods C1 sliding in brackets C1 associated with adjusting;` nuts C and springs C4. The bight is wound about a drum C5 which drum is rigidly mounted on the. shaft C, which shaft also carries a gear C1 driven through a train of gears as indicated by the motor C, the motor being reversible to move the cradle into and out of the dumping position. It will be noted that the motor C8 is at the center of the shaft in line with each roller ring, the motor and train of gears being located intermediate the ends of the cradle. C is a solenoid brake associated with the motor. The means for controlling the motor are not here shown since they may take the form of any suitable drum type controller manipulated by the operator whereby he can stop and start the rotation of the cradle and rotate in either direction, the solenoid brake operating to go on and lock the parts in position wherever they are left by thc operators manipulation of Athe control, the arangement being the usual one whereby when the current is on the motor, the brake is oft and when the current is turned olf the brake goes int-o operation.

D D are a series of contiguous hoppers located beneath the cradle and adapted to receive the discharge from the car. D1 D1 are chutes discharging from the hoppers onto belt conveyors .D2 which conveyers carry .material discharged from thc car up to any suitable point for disposal.

Extending upwardly along that side of the cradle opposed to the pad or mat which receives the car are two upright stanchions E. These upright stanchions E carry brackets or guideways E1 in which are slidably mounted clamp slides E2. These clamp slides have projecting laterally from them short clamp arms E3 rigid therewith and pivoted with them and extending across the car on clamp members E4. The short clamp engages the top of the car on the inner side, the long clamp engages the top of the car on the far side. The pivoted member E4v is associated with a stop E5 when the Vclamp F slide is raised so that the clamps are out of Contact with the car, the long clamp has its car engaging elements slightly below the car engaging element of the short clamp. Thus when the clamp settles down on the car the pivoted long clamp engages iirst and then the rigid short clamp so as to insure takinghold of the car independent of variations in height or variations of the positions of the parts.

E is a sheave at the upper end of the side member E. A cable is dead ended on the clamp slide E2, passes up over this sheave down along guide sheaves E6 E7 E8 to the bottom of the upright. From the sheave E8 it passes over a transverse sheave E9 on the roller ring, thence to a sheave E10 also on the roller ring and then back to the lifting carriage E11. This lifting carriage is provided with rollers E12 E12 movable in a peripheral circular track E1" and has an arm E11 adapted to engage the stop E15 on the foundation so that when the parts are in the position shown in Figure l the cable is drawn out between the sheave E10 and the stop holds the carriage to raise the clamps away from the car. When in the position shown in Figure 3 it will be noted that the carriage has been allowed to return toward the sheave E10 thus permitting the clamps to settle on the car. This takes place on the beginning of the cradle rotation and as the cradle rotates in a counter clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure l as long as the weight of the clamps has not been supported by the car movement of the cradle merely shortens the rope drawn out between E10 and the carriage. Further movement after the clamps have settled down causes the carraige to leave the stop as it rotates with the cradle, any suitable friction means being provided between the carriage and the cradle to prevent its further uncontrolled movement. There are thus positive means provided for raising the clamps away from the car as the car returns to its working position from the dumping position.

In order to hold the clamps down on the car and to support the weight of the car, cables are provided extending about each pair of clamps and in order to insure that tension is the same on both ends, equalizing means are provided between the free ends of the cables, the driven ends being` both wound upon a drum driven by a motor.

The equalizing means comprise links F F1 pivoted on the cradle. Sleeves F2 F2 are pivoted on these links. At their other ends these sleeves are pivoted on triangular bell crank levers F3 F3. A tie-rod F4 associated with springs F5 F5 at either end of the tie-rod contained Within the sleeves F2 provides flexible means for taking up irregularities and taking care of stretch of the cables, change of temperature, and the like. It will be evident that owing to this structure subject only to the flerzibility of the springs, the two bell crank levers must travel in the saine direction so that as one cable pays out, the

other is drawn in. These bell crank levers are mounted on brackets F6 downwardly depending from the cradle. The other arm of each bell crank lever carries an equalizing leverI F7, there being cables Ffs F8 anchored on the two opposed arms of the equalizing leversl associated with turn buckles F9 to take up slack. F10 is a tliimble holdinov two cables in proper alignment though it will be understood that they are free to have some movement longitudinally of each other with respect to the thimble. These cables F 8 pass up over parallel sheaves F11 on the outboard end of the long crank, thence inwardly over parallel sheaves F12 on the slieave slide, thence overthe tension limit pulley F13 to a winding drum F14 where each cable is separately dead ended.

The tension limit pulley F13 comprises an aXle shaft G mounted on sliding pins G1 in bearings G2. Springs G3 resist movement of the pin G:l from the position shown in Figure 4, the tension on the cable tending to move the pin in such direction that the free end G4 thereof may engage the electric switch G5, the arrangement being such that only after the tension in the cable has reached a predetermined point is this switch closed to stop the operation of the clamp driving motor.

The clamp driving motor is shown diagrainmatically at G6. After it has once started it continues to operate drawing down On the clamps until the car is firmly seated and until such pressure has been Aexerted by the clamps on the car to cause the tension in the cable, compress the spring and operate the switch. As soon as the switch is operated the current is turned off from the motor and simultaneously the solenoid brake GT or the equivalent goes into operation by permitting the brake spring to seat the brake, thus holding the tension Yon the clamps. If at any time during operation the tension on the cable should drop as for instance if a piece of rock or coal had been caught between the clamp and the top of the car and was subsequently crushed, the instantaneous reduction in pressure would immediately permit the spring to force the sheave back, thus opening the switch, throwing out the solenoid brake,y

overcoming the spring tension which holds the brake and starting the motor. The motor,-

would operate to take up the slack until the tension in the cable had again reached the predetermined point when the brake would go on, the motor would go off and the cable and clamp would remain in tight holdingvpo sition.

There is one of these drums Fltat each end of the cradle. The drums are mounted rigidly on shafts H. Each shaft has a gear H1 in mesh with a pinionHV2 on a through shaft H3,

there being a'pinion H2 at each end of such v through shaft and a gear intermediate the `ends. This gear is driven through a train of gears as indicated from a motor G, the motor having associated with it the solenoid brake 'G7 above referred to.v The operation' of the yclamping motoris entirely automatic.

I is a switch box mounted on the beam A having ak pluralityof switch levers Il and I2. It is a starting trigger adapted when the cradle is rotated through an angle of say ten i degrees to throw the lever Il and start the motor. The motor starts pulling the clamps down against the tension of the .clamp lifting cable. rlhe normal unloaded speed of the motor will be greater than the speed at which .the clamp lifting rope is paid out but not enough greater to' cause theA tension switch to operate.'v As soon as the clamps settle against the car,l the motor will build up its tension in the cable Vand stop at some predetermined point holdino` the clamps in position. Onthe return movement'the stop I4 will engage the switch lever I? at about thirty-five degrees from horizontal, will operate the solenoidH current on the motor to the time when the releasing switch I2 is operated to release the solenoid brake, the only thing that will stop the motor will be the cable tension control switch. During the remainder of the time, that is when the cradle is in the upright or generally upright posit-ion, the current is olf the motor but on the solenoid switch so that the clamps are free to be moved and held in position bythe @lamp raising mechanism. Y 4The electric details are not shown since they --foiim no part of our present invention.

Y J is a ladder wlierebythe Operator may est to the top of the structure.

The free car side contacting end of the clamp is laterally disposed as indicated to'V form what is technically knownv as a pad to .engage vthe side ofthe car and exert pressure downwardly thereupon to hold the car upon the track.

lVe claim:

l. In a car c lumper, a cradle and means for rotating it, clamps adapted to hold the car in Vplace in the .cradle ,during rotation, ,a motor for seating the Vclamps against the car and separate positive independent of gravity .means for raising the Yf-llffaiire @at 0f contact with the car.

2. In a rotary car dump, a clamp adapted to more taire-rd freni-aad hold the @er naait-ien, clamp holding means Comprisnal -Y ao a motor driven drum, a plurality of separate cables arranged in parallel and wound about the drum, sheaves on the clamps over which the cables travel and an anchorage for the ends of the cables removed from the drum including an equalizing lever, the ends of the cables being anchored to the opposed ends of the equalizing lever.

3. In a rotary car dump, a clamp adapted to move toward and from and hold the car in position, clamp holding means comprising a motor driven drum, al plurality of separate cables arranged in parallel and wound about the drum, sheaves on the clamps over which the cables travel and an anchorage for the ends of the cables removed from the drum including an equalizing lever, the ends of the cables being anchored to the opposed ends of the equalizing lever, and a thimble associated with the cables adjacent their end to hold that part of the cables which pass over the sheaves in substantial parallelism.

4. An anchorage for cables for car dumpers comprising a pair of opposed bell crank levers, a cable dead ended on one arm of each bell crank, an adjustable connection between the remaining arms of the opposed bell crank levers, yielding means interposed in the connection between the bell crank levers, said yielding means comprising a sleeve pivoted at one end on the bell crank lever, a rod slid able within the sleeve, a compression spring interposed between one end of the sleeve and the rod for resisting longitudinal movement of the sleeve with respect to the rod, and a link pivotally supporting that end of the sleeve removed from the bell crank lever.

5. In a car dumper, a cradle, car clamps thereon, holding means for the clamps comprising a plurality of cables associated with each clamp, a drum upon which the adjacent ends of each cable are wound, equalizing levers to which the free ends of each cable are anchored, a bell crank lever upon which each equalizing lever is mounted and an equalizing connection between the bell crank levers associated with adjacent clamps whereby the tension in all the cables is kept uniform.

6. In a car dumper, a plurality oi. car holding; clamps adapted to extend entirely across a` car, a holding cable for each clamp, a fixed anchorage for one end ot` each cable, a drum about which the unanchored end of each Cable is wound, a single motor and a driving connection between it and all the drums whereby it exerts a tension on all the cables simultaneously, equalizing means between all the cable anchorages whereby the tension in all the cables is the same.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State lof Illinois, this 29th day of July, 1927.

ELWIN H. KIDDER. IVILLARD E. ERICKSON. 

